WORK is well underway on repairing an historic church but more funds still need to be found.

The 12th-century St. Leonard’s Church in Thornton-le-Street, near Northallerton, is undergoing a comprehensive repair project thanks to a £110,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Work has already started to replace the roof tiles and there will also be repairs to other stone work, including the bell tower.

The roof’s stone crosses will also be restored and replaced, while the windows will all be cleaned and repaired where necessary.

It is planned to install a new stained glass window subject to permissions being granted.

Although the work has begun in earnest, the church still needs to plug a £3,000 funding shortfall and a coffee morning has been organised in the village hall this Saturday to raise money.

As part of the repair project, church members are also creating photobooks to record church artefacts and the the restoration’s progress.

Research will be done on the village history, people who have memorials in the church and graves in the churchyard.

All this will form a comprehensive history of the village and the church and the coffee morning will give visitors the chance to find out more and get involved.